Locally filmed 'Surfer King' premieres at Buell Theatre

Surfer King, a romantic teen comedy filmed entirely at Water World in Hyland Hills, premiered April 5 at the Buell Theatre in Denver with a red carpet reception for the stars.

Writer and director Bernard Murray was the first to arrive, shaking hands as he walked the carpet with his family by his side. Lindsay Wagner, of The Bionic Woman fame, snuck in with the crowd while co-stars Randy Wayne and Ben Ziff lingered on the carpet, enjoying the moment and talking with fans.

Aside from a few adoring teenage fans, the crowd consisted primarily of extras in the film and their families. When Surfer King was filmed at Water World in 2004, hundreds of local teenagers were cast as extras, sunning the summer days away at the area park. Michael Slavish, 18, of Buena Vista, Colo., was one such teen.

"I drown in the movie," said Slavish who had not yet seen the final film. "It's in the DVD outtakes," but did not likely make the final cut, he explained.

"I e-mailed Bernard," after seeing a call for extras on TV, Slavish said. "I came in and said a line and got a part. I didn't have a line in the movie." Slavish came to Denver for the night with his parents, Dave and Margaret, to see the premiere and enjoy the festivities. They, like many of the extras who got to walk the carpet, were excited about their 15 minutes of fame.

Wayne, who presently stars in Sons & Daughters, was a big hit. The Surfer King himself, Wayne posed with fans and reminisced about his summer in Colorado with some of the extras. "I would definitely come back," to Water World, Wayne said.

Did you see the movie last night? What did you think? Were you in the movie, or a part of the filming at Water World? Tell us about it! Post your reviews and personal stories about Surfer King on YourHub.com or comment in the box below.

For more on the filming of Surfer King, see YourHub.com's March story here.

For more on director Bernard Murray and his battle with cancer, see this story in the Rocky Mountain News.

For more on the movie, visit their official Web site at www.thesurferking.com